The Build:

This Second Tier Basic PC build uses a Sandy Bridge Intel Core i5-2300 2.8GHz LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor that is priced around $184.99. This processor is easily more than enough for your basic home PC tasks such as office work, web browsing, multimedia use: watching HD video, music organization, photo storage and editing etc. As well as low end gaming, and graphical editing using programs like photoshop. This build is easily upgradeable to become a much faster, and versatile machine for any task. Take a look at the budget yielding alternative section and you may find a perfect combination for your needs. The Intel Sandy Bridge processors come integrated with Intel HD Graphics 2000.

I included the PowerColor Radeon HD 4650 AX4650 1GBK3-H Video Card since I wanted to use a P67 motherboard since they are much more versatile. I was going to use Sandy bridges integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 2000), but since a P67 motherboard does not generally come with an HDMI port, I included an external card to do so. If you want to save a few bucks on a discrete card tr and find an H67 motherboard to supplement that with. With the Radeon HD 5670 you can get about 1280×1024 great performance in most games, and 1680×1050 in lower details. WIth a basic PC this may be all you need.

The ASRock P67 PRO3 ATX Intel Motherboard is a very affordable P67 LGA 1155 socket motherboard. This includes 4×240 pin memory slots allowing up to a maximum of 32GB of dual channel DDR3 memory. A built in Audio chipset allowing 8 channels of sound using ALC 892. As well, this motherboard includes 6 x USB 2.0 onboard connectors, and 6 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x optical, 1 x coaxial rear panel ports. The expansion slots included are 1 x PCI Express 2.0 x16, 3 x PCI Express x1, and 3 x PCI expansion slots.

I included a high quality G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory, a SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 500GB 3.5″ SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive, a SeaSonic S12II 520 Bronze 520W Power Supply, a goodASUS 24X DVD Burner – Bulk Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS, and chose the Xigmatek ASGARD II B/O CPC-T45UE-U01 Black / Orange Computer Case based on its fantastic reviews.

All parts have a set of constituent products under “Budget Yielding Alternatives” that you may feel like considering if you want to go with something a little different (especially with computer cases), or better (as in a hard drive with more space, power supply with more wattage for future use, or higher quality RAM).

Required Hardware:

Processor:	Intel Core i5-2300 2.8GHz LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor	$184.99
Motherboard:	ASRock P67 PRO3 ATX Intel Motherboard	$123.99
Graphics Card:	PowerColor Radeon HD 4650 AX4650 1GBK3-H Video Card	$49.99
RAM:	G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory	$49.99
Hard Drive:	SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 500GB 3.5″ SATA 3.0Gb/s Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive	$49.99
Power Supply Unit:	SeaSonic S12II 520 Bronze 520W Power Supply	$59.99
Optical Drive:	ASUS 24X DVD Burner – Bulk Black SATA Model DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS	$19.99
Computer Case:	Xigmatek ASGARD II B/O CPC-T45UE-U01 Black / Orange Computer Case	$29.99

~SUBTOTAL (Before taxes): $460

Visual Representations:

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory

*Note: I try to include parts that will be of best quality within a given bracket, so if you notice a hardware part that may be of greater value within the same price bracket as any of these hardware parts do not hesitate to notify me. I’m always looking to improve, so any critic is welcomed.